Simple Grain Bowl (Printable)

Customizable nourishing bowl with grains, protein, and fresh toppings

# Ingredient List:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup uncooked brown rice
02 - or 1 cup uncooked quinoa
03 - or 1 cup uncooked farro

→ Proteins

04 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
05 - or 2 cups grilled chicken breast, diced
06 - or 2 cups firm tofu, cubed and pan-seared
07 - or 2 cups cooked shrimp

→ Toppings

08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
10 - 1 cup shredded carrots
11 - 1 avocado, sliced
12 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
13 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
14 - 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, or basil)

→ Dressing

16 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
18 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - 1 clove garlic, minced
21 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Cook your selected grain according to package instructions until tender. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
02 - Prepare your chosen protein using preferred method: grill chicken, pan-sear tofu, or use pre-cooked chickpeas and shrimp.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Divide cooked grain among serving bowls. Arrange protein, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, avocado slices, red onion, feta cheese if desired, pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs on top of each grain base.
05 - Drizzle prepared dressing over each bowl immediately before serving to maintain texture and freshness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get to be the boss of your own bowl, mixing and matching based on what's in your fridge or what sounds good today.
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the dressing has had time to settle into every grain.
  • Meal prep becomes something you actually look forward to instead of dreading.
02 -
  • Don't slice your avocado until right before eating or it'll oxidize and turn that sad brown color that makes you feel like you ruined something special.
  • A properly whisked dressing with mustard and garlic will hold your vegetables together in a way that plain oil and vinegar never will, and this one discovery changed how I think about dressings entirely.
03 -
  • If you're meal prepping, keep the grain, protein, and vegetables separate from the dressing and fresh items until you're ready to eat, and everything stays crisp and fresh instead of becoming a soggy situation by Wednesday.
  • The secret that changed my grain bowl game was realizing that lightly massaging the red onion with a tiny pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon for a minute softens it just enough to be less aggressive while keeping that brightness everyone loves.
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